The Department of Geography and Environment in the School of GeoSciences at the University of Aberdeen is pleased to be hosting its first conference on accessibility policy tomorrow (April 28).
Delegates, including academics and representatives from local and transport authorities, will be attending the one-day event on Thursday, April 28, in the Linklater Rooms, Elphinstone Hall, King’s College, between 9.00am and 4.00pm.
The inaugural event will showcase recent work on developing the innovative Accessibility Policy Appraisal Tool, in collaboration with the universities of Sheffield and Cardiff, along with Derek Halden Consultancy Ltd. The research was funded by the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government, the Countryside Agency, and HM Treasury.
The speakers, including academics from universities across Scotland, will identify key issues on how accessibility planning is achieved within their policy research area and will provide examples of accessibility planning.
Delegates will have the opportunity to discover how to use accessibility policies and tools. They will also be able to discuss the establishment of a new expert network for practitioners of accessibility planning in Scotland.
Professor John Farrington, Director of Rural and Transport Research, within the College of Physical Sciences at the University of Aberdeen, said: “This new initiative is designed to bring practitioners, researchers and decision-makers together to learn about the importance of the concept of accessibility to service provision in the UK and to drive forward the agenda for action on implementing good practice in transport and services planning by using the new accessibility approach. This can have direct effects on the quality of life of people living in both rural and urban areas.”
The level of accessibility to services and activities experienced by people in Britain has been identified as a key issue across several sectors. It is vital to understand the sometimes contradictory impacts of diverse policies on people’s ability to access services and life chances, in order to improve social inclusion, social justice and sustainability.